Reunions
by entity9silvergen
Summary: Everyone lost someone that day but after the Battle of the Earth, everyone got that someone back. Drabble-like series of the reunions between heroes' friends and family. [Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel]
1. Handshake

**Spiderman/ Peter Parker and Ned Leeds**

Peter never understood his powers. He'd run some tests when he first got them and spent plenty of time trying to figure them out but he never fully understood them. The power that troubled him the most was his Spider Sense. He loved that thing, it saved his life more times than he could count, but sometimes it was a real nuisance.

The feeling of his Spider Sense going off, it was really hard for Peter to tell the difference between it and just usual feelings of nervousness. To break it into simple terms, the Spider Sense was just a warning to go into fight or flight mode. Anxiety was essentially the same thing. So, being in a stressful situation like this one that was already as hard as it was and having a Spider Sense was nearly impossible. Peter wanted nothing more than to turn around and run home to hide in the safety of his bed.

Peter clasped his straps of his backpack as he walked through the gates of Midtown High School. The school was busier than it had been in years but Peter didn't notice. To him, it was as busy as it always was. It still felt like a lot of people though. Each time someone so much as brushed his arm, Peter would stiffen, Spider Sense going off. Constantly. It really wasn't doing anything to help the nervous energy flowing through his legs or twisting in his gut.

It felt like an eternity had passed by the time Peter got from the front gate and into the school. The world suddenly felt more crowded than it ever had before. The familiar school halls felt small and cramped, like they were going to crush him. Peter's eyes flickered around, jaw clenching and unclenching nervously. But then everything was okay.

Down the hall, a heavy figure came to a stop, eyes meeting Peter's. Peter stopped walking, sudden shock stopping his steps. And then he smiled and ran towards him, bumping into everyone that previously scared him.

Peter skidded to a stop and stared at his friend, not knowing what to do. And then Ned smiled and extended a hand. Peter clasped it and the two shifted their hands, hooked them together, fist bumped, bumped elbows, side fived, then pointed finger pistols at each other. Their secret handshake.

Peter found himself unable to speak, an overwhelming happiness choking him up. He remembered. Five years had passed and Ned still remembered the handshake that marked their friendship.

Ned looked just as overwhelmed as Peter, seeing his best friend for the first time in five years. He smiled, eyes shining as they watered, and he opened his arms. Peter did the same and they hugged.

It didn't last long. They still had some pride but that didn't stop the two from having to wipe away a few tears.

"We should get to class," Peter said.

Ned laughed. "Five years and that's the first thing you say since getting back to school?"

Peter grinned at him. "Hey, we nerd types have a reputation to uphold. But seriously, it's good to see you."

"It's great to see you," Ned responded as the two fell in step beside each other. "Five years is way too long."

"I know right," Peter said. "Let's never do that again."

"Yeah. Promise?"

Peter offered a hand and the the pair of hands folded themselves into the handshake again. "Nothing's going to keep us apart, buddy. Not now, not ever again."

* * *

**Author's Note:** How are Ned and Peter still in High School? It's been seven years since they were Sophomores...


	2. Phone Call

**Hawkeye/ Clint Barton and Laura Barton**

The man standing in that room was many things. In fact, he was so many things he often thought of himself as two separate people.

One of those people was Clint Barton, father and husband. The other was Hawkeye, Avenger and former S.H.I.E.L.D. Operative. But both those people had died. Five years ago, Laura had died. Without his partner, Clint had died to. And now the Black Widow, Hawkeye's partner, had died and Hawkeye with her. Now he was just the shell of the man he used to be, trying to right his wrongs and undo the past.

The man went numb as he watched the Iron Infinity Gauntlet mold itself to the Hulk's massive hand. He was so numb that his usual sharp vision became a blurry and his ears went deaf to the Hulk's screams. Even though the Hulk was his friend, the other partner to Hawkeye's, the man's mind was too distracted to even notice his pain. He had one thought and one thought only.

Clint had never been a religious man. He had a rough childhood and he always reasoned that either God hated the people he created or he didn't exist at all. There were other explanations of course but Clint had been an angry child. He needed something to focus that anger on.

Luara, his wife, on the other hand, had been a woman of faith and Clint loved her enough that he'd go along with whatever it was she was teaching the kids. He wasn't around for most of it though. Clint disappeared most days, living as Hawkeye.

Hawkeye definitely was not a man of religion. His faith was in the brains of his comrades Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. They were two of the most brilliant men on this planet and both men of science. Hawkeye wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed and he had no idea what the two were talking about most of the time but they always had his absolute trust. Anything they said, any explanation they gave, he would believe it.

And, of course, one of Hawkeye's other comrade was the God of Thunder, son of Odin and brother to Loki. Tony always said they were more aliens than gods and Hawkeye, of course, believed what he said.

But right now, the man standing in that room forgot about everything he'd believed and found himself praying. He still doubted there was some bearded man in the sky but some aliens, like Thor, were considered gods. Maybe they had some kind of power like the one told in Earth stories. He hoped so. He hoped with every fiber of his being that when Hulk snapped his fingers and the power of the Infinity Stones flew out into the universe, that someone, anyone, would guide it and bring back everyone he lost. Hawkeye was gone but Clint could come back. He needed to come back. If he didn't, that shell of a man might just fade away too.

The man was vaguely aware of the energy rushing up the Hulk's arm slowly dying down, the power taming. He shifted for a moment, getting use to the feeling, then lifted his hand and snapped his fingers.

And nothing happened. The man didn't know what he was expecting but the severe lack of it made him go even number. His mind slipped into its own world, unaware of the world around him. He didn't see his teammates' shared glances or the raccoon's tears and he certainly didn't see Antman run out of the room. He could only see the floor below him, seeming so far away.

Then he heard a vibrate. A text message, nothing important. He ignored those all the time.

And then he heard it again.

And then the sound of a phone ringing. Again and again.

Still as numb and shocked as before, the man slowly lifted his head and looked over to where his phone lay screen up on the table. And then Clint blinked, expression melting from broken to hopeful. He slowly took a few steps, circling the table like a predator, and ambled over to it. His face broke into a smile when he saw the identification displayed on the screen.

Slowly, he reached out and picked up the phone, raising it to his ear, and hit a button. The voice that came through the speaker nearly made him cry.

"Clint?" the voice said.

"Laura?" Clint choked out, taking rapid steps to leave the room. He stopped beside Antman who was staring out the window. Birds were fluttering about, dancing in the thin trees. Antman shot Clint a questioning glance and gestured at the phone. Clint nodded and smiled. "Laura."

"Clint, where are you?" Laura asked, sounding worried. "You were here just a second ago. Everything went dark for a second and the next thing I knew you and the food were gone."

Clint laughed softly at her obliviousness to what happened. The motion made the water building up in his eyes leak out. Antman gave him a comforting smile, patted his shoulder, and took a few steps back, giving Clint some space.

"Laura," Clint said, unable to wipe the stupid smile off his face and he didn't care. He sniffed and ran his palm over his face, wiping away some of the tears. "Laura."

"Clint, are you okay?" Laura asked.

"I'm fine. I'm better than fine. I'm fantastic. Man, Laura, I'm happier than I've ever been."

"Clint, you're not making any sense."

Knowing that she was going to find out at some point anyway, Clint let it all spill out. "It's been five years, Laura. You, Cooper, Lila, Nathaniel… everyone. You were gone for five years, Laura."

"Clint, I don't understand."

"Thanos, he got all the Infinity Stones and he snapped and half the universe disappeared, turned to dust. And then we… we…" Clint trailed off as another wave of tears dripped from his eyes. He took a few deep breaths, overwhelmed. "Nevermind, it's not important. You're back, that's what's important. Laura, I love you. I love you so, so much."

"I love you too Clint," Laura said, still sounding confused.

"Tell the kids I love them too," Clint told her. "I'm coming home, I'm coming home. I'll get the quinjet or the Millano or the Betar or something and I'll come over."

"What?"

Clint laughed again, sending more water running down his face. He exhaled sharply, happiness uncontained, and wiped his eyes. "A lot has happened, Laura. I-"

Clint was cut off by a flash of light outside the window. And then the world exploded.

* * *

**Author's Note:** In case you forgot, Hawkeye's call happened right after everyone was brought back but not included. It was interrupted by Thanos's attack.


	3. Souls

**Gamora and Clint Barton/ Hawkeye **

Inside the Soul Stone was quite beautiful. It was empty for the most part, just an island of stone filled with water in an empty void. Clouds surrounded it, implying they were in the sky, and the sun lingered at sun rise and sunset much longer than it would on any other planet. The sky was almost always illuminated with an orange light that seemed to make the water glow.

Gamora would have appreciated this beauty if she had some to this place by normal means. She longed with all her heart that she and the Guardians had just gone on another joyriding mission to some peaceful planet and decided to stay there. She didn't wish her friends, her family, were here in the Soul Stone but she knew it would be a lot easier if she wasn't the only one here.

Gamora didn't know how long she was there alone but one day she opened her eyes and she saw someone else lying in the water. It surprised her completely and utterly. Gamora was here because Thanos had killed her. Her soul became an Infinity Stone. The stone already existed, there was no need for another soul to become a stone. Was that even possible?

Gamora rose to her feet and waded into the water to get a better look at the person floating there. She knew Thanos could come here as the bearer of the stone but this was no Thanos. She didn't know who this was. She didn't even know if this was a new bearer or a new sacrifice. She looked over the person, a man, and gently grasped his wrist. His hand was clenched around something. Gamora closed her eyes and lowered her head. It was another bearer. This man was still alive in the real world. She just had to wait until he woke and his sacrifice took his place in the Soul Stone.

Gamora froze when she reached the rock at the edge of the pool as her confusion only worsened. Forget how there was a second stone bearer and second sacrifice, what would happen to her? Her soul was the Soul Stone but someone else was coming. What would happen to her soul? Would she return to the world of the living? She certainly hoped so. Would she finally be able to move on to the afterlife? She didn't know how she felt about that. Anything was better than being a conduct for half the universe's destruction though.

From her place at the edge of the water, she watched the man float. He looked a bit like Quill. Just in that he was a human, none of their physical characteristics were the same and she doubted they were anything close personality-wise. This man, this human, had sacrificed someone he loved for power. She didn't know the story behind it but she couldn't imagine Quill doing that. The day Gamora died, she had begged her lover to kill her and he hesitated. She made him promise and he did his best to keep that promise but he still had too much heart. Clearly, this human didn't have that same heart.

The human lying in the pool shifted and Gamora lifted her head to watch him. He blinked his eyes open against the sunset light and looked around, clearly confused by his surroundings. Slowly, he pulled his fist closer to him and opened his fingers. He stared at the orange stone lying in his hand and then pulled his fingers shut again. He sat up with his knees in front of him and put his hands against his face. He shuddered slightly. Gamora tipped her head in confusion before realizing he was crying.

The coldness she had felt for this human melted and she felt pity. She rose to her feet and waded back into the water, sitting on her knees beside him. She put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently.

"Shh…" she hushed softly. He didn't look up but the man leaned slightly in her direction. She moved closer to him and kept rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. "Let it out."

"It was supposed to be me," the man sobbed, pulling the stone close to his heart. Gamora blinked in confusion. What did he mean it was supposed to be him? The man pulled his knees closer, protectively surrounding the stone with his body like he was protecting whoever's soul lay within. "I ran to jump off that cliff but Widow… Nat... she hit me with that rope and jumped off herself. I caught her but I couldn't unite myself to take her place and keep her from falling at the same time. It should've been me…"

Gamora blinked in surprise and suddenly shared his sorrow. She shifted so she was sitting beside him and wrapped an arm around him. This human's heart was just as kind warm warm as Quill's. She had misjudged him. Unlike her father, this man truly loved whoever this Widow was. She smiled at him despite the fact his eyes were still shut and leaking tears. "You are a good man, human. The last person to take the Soul Stone shoved the woman he loved most off that cliff without hesitation."

The man sniffed and looked up, the crying ceased. "Who- Gamora?"

Gamora reeled back slightly in surprise. "Where did you hear that name?"

"You're Gamora, aren't you?" the man questioned. "One of the Guardians of the Galaxy?"

"How do you know us?"

"Rocket… I met him. Nat, Widow, she knew him pretty well. He and Nebula handled the Avengers' space stuff I think," the man told her. "When we were trying to figure out how to get the stones, he seemed really invested into this so I asked him why. He said he lost his family to Thanos, like me. He showed me a picture of all of you. Y'know… you, him, Star Lord, Drax, Groot, Mantis… he taped a picture of Nebula and the old Groot in too. He really likes tape. He really cares about you. Even more than he loves tape."

Gamora smiled and laughed softly, trying to keep her own fresh tears from falling. "Rocket… he's well?"

"I think so. I mean, he's got a lot of sadness all locked up in that little heart of his and he tries hiding it but he's happy enough. He's still got Nebula. I guess just having one person from his old life is enough for him," the man told her. "They're Avengers now. They've got a new family now but I know that they still miss the one they lost."

"Did Thanos…?"

"Yeah. He wiped out half the universe like he said he would," the man told her.

"Then… he has all the stones. How are you here?"

"The Avengers… you've heard of them right? We found Antman who had been stuck in the Quantum Realm and the brains of the team figured out how to time travel using Pym Particles," the man explained. "We went back in time to get the stones and bring everyone who faded away back."

"Thanos would never let you."

"He's dead," the man told her. "Thor cut his head off five years ago."

"Ah. How's he doing?"

"Not well."

Gamora looked away from the man and stared off into the horizon. "Then it sounds like you need to get that stone back to your time."

"Yeah," the man agreed. He paused and looked around. They were on an island in the sky with no way off. "Um, how do I do that?"

"You're inside the Soul Stone. The woman that sacrificed herself, her soul will become the stone once you leave," Gamora told him. "Just focus the stone's power and you'll return to the real world."

"Got it, got it… Wait. What will happen to you?" the man asked. "If your soul is the stone right now… Wait, but we went back in time… Man, I'm so confused."

Gamora smiled. "The universe isn't meant to be understood. I might stay here, I might move on, I might return to the real world. I don't know. If I stay here… Is there anything you want me to tell this Nat woman?"

"Tell her… everything's going to be okay," the man said. "Tell her Hawkeye and Widow will never die. And tell her I'm sorry that it was her. And tell her I'll let her know everyone know that she loved them."

Gamora nodded. "I will. If I can that is."

"That's more than I can ask for," Hawkeye said. He looked down at the stone in his hand and wiped away his tears, letting the last of them drip onto the stone. He pressed it against his heart and lay back in the water. "Okay, Natasha. Time to bring everyone back."

Hawkeye closed his eyes and let his breathing become calm and rhythmic again. Slowly, an orange light consumed him and he began to fade. Gamora let out a long sigh and retreated back a bit, ready for the next person to come.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I know this one's pretty noncanon but it works.

Also, just found out that in the MCU Clint is only ever called Hawkeye in the credits.


	4. Afterlife

**Natasha/ Black Widow and Gamora**

"No!" Hawkeye screamed as Widow kicked of the stone slope the two were dangled off of. As her hand left his, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty to be the cause of the pure anguish that came crashing down on his face. She didn't dwell on it long. She knew he would see his family again and all that anguish would be gone soon enough.

Watching him get smaller and smaller as she fell was still difficult. She saw him look away and she felt a wave of gratitude. She didn't want her best friend to watch her fall to her death.

Widow hardly felt the hard stone hit her back. She just felt a sharp feeling then something in her move before the world went black.

When she awoke, she was lying in water. Glowing water. Orange, like the deepest sunset. She sat up, slipping slightly in the water, and looked around, taking in the sight around her. She knew when she opened her eyes, it wouldn't be in the same rocky ravine she had died in but she never expected the afterlife to be so stunning.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice questioned. Female, steady and calm.

Widow glanced around and saw a green-skinned woman sitting at the edge of the water. "Gamora?"

"Oh, you know me too."

"Yeah… I know Rocket and Nebula pretty… wait. Too?"

"Your friend Hawkeye was just here," Gamora told her, getting up to walk over to her. Widow tired to sit up to face her but when Gamora lowered and sat beside her, she put a soothing hand on the side of her head, silently telling her to stay lying in the water. "He asked me to tell you that everything's going to be okay. And that your partnership will never die. He says he's sorry you had to die and he'll send your love to everyone who needs it."

Widow nodded and let out a sigh. "I wish I could talk to him. Let him know that I don't regret doing what I did."

Gamora nodded and sat down next to her. "The two of you are fine humans. Better than even the best Zehoberei."

"Um, thanks."

Gamora smiled. Behind her, the sun that was hidden behind the clouds rose a bit higher, casting more light onto the water. The glow slowly began spreading up Gamora's body.

"You're fading," Widow realized aloud.

Gamora lifted her hands and looked at them, watching the orange glow stretch through her like blood through veins. As it reached her fingertips, they began turning to dust. She smiled to herself, looking as calm as she had a second ago. If anything, she looked at peace"I guess I am. Your soul is the Soul Stone now. Finally… I can move on. It was nice meeting you, Widow."

"Yeah… of course. It was nice to finally meet you. Even if it was only for a moment."

Gamora rose her head, looking right in Widow's eyes. "No, thank you. For everything you did for Rocket and Nebula. Truly, it means the world for my family to be happy."

Widow smiled back. "Of course."

She reached out and put a hand on Gamora's leg. Under her touch, the woman began to fade to dust, just like the trillions of others who had. Only this time, she wanted it.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Again, not totally canon. I've never been a huge Widow or Gamora fan but I'd love to see them interact like this.


	5. Alone No More

**Clint Barton/ Hawkeye and Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch**

"Thanos!" the Scarlet Witch screamed as she ran up to the figure standing in the clearing. Around them, the Battle of the Earth was ongoing. Outriders, Chitauri, Sakaarans, and the Black Order were going toe to toe with Wakandans, the Masters of the Mystic Arts, Asgardians, Ravagers, and Avengers. But the Scarlet Witch was oblivious to all the violence around her. All she saw was the man who killed her lover.

Thanos turned away from whoever it was he was watching and glanced at her as she passed between two piles of debris. He looked unimpressed. "I have no idea who you are."

"You'll remember me," she said and focused her power into her hands. Around her, the piles floated into the air and slammed into him. He seemed relatively unfazed so she focused her power on him instead, red energy lacing the armor he wore, tearing it off his body.

Thanos struggled against her power but the Scarlet Witch didn't let up. She just kept tearing and crushing his armor.

And then suddenly she was being knocked back. She blinked for a split second and she didn't see what it was. All she knew was that she lost her chance to get her revenge. She didn't mind though. As long as Thanos was dead by the end of this fight, she didn't care who landed the final blow.

"Open fire!" Thanos bellowed.

"But our troops…" one of the Black Order protested.

"Just do it!"

Above, the Sanctuary II's canons tilted towards the earth below. The Scarlet Witch's eyes widened at their size and ran for cover. Reaching the back of the battlefield, she skidded to a stop at a group of sorcerers' side. The mystic art wielders thrust their hands into the air and glowing orange shields with ritual markings on them appeared over their heads.

"Everyone get under!" the Scarlet Witch shouted to the ground troops but it seemed her call was unnecessary. Many sorcerers were running towards the Wakandans and Asgardians who didn't have shields of their own to cover their heads with their mystic barriers. Above, the Ravager ship formed a ring and threw up an energy shield over some of the smaller ships and the flying Asgardians. The Scarlet Witch smiled and felt her heart warm, touched by the unity between such different people brought together for one cause.

After maybe a minute, the canons suddenly changed direction and began to fire at something hidden in the heavy storm clouds above.

"What's that?" the Scarlet Witch asked.

One of the woman in the Wakandan Royal Guard stood under the shield beside her. She smiled at him. "You will see in a moment, sister."

The sorcerer who had been protecting them let out a long breath as he put down the shield. He didn't look relaxed though. "Everyone run!"

The Scarlet Witch was confused but followed the sorcerers, Wakandans, and Asgardians she had been sheltering with as they sprinted across the battlefield, taking down a few Outriders on the way. Seeing a particularly large cluster, the Scarlet Witch slowed to blast them but a bark from the Wakandan woman stopped her. "Leave them. We need to get out of range."

The Scarlet Witch was confused and she suddenly heard an ear splitting boom from overhead. Expecting to see the Ravager ships being shot out of the sky by the Sanctuary II, she was surprised to see them fleeing to the other end of the arial battlefield and the Sanctuary II being ripped in half.

The group the Scarlet Witch was running with came to a stop to watch the ship fall and the sorcerer threw up a shield overhead again but the group had made it far enough to avoid any debris. Others weren't so lucky though and the Scarlet Witch began using her powers to pull any stragglers from the hitzone before the ship slammed into the ground.

"You're getting good with those," a voice commented and the Scarlet Witch turned to see Hawkeye behind her.

"What happened to your hair?" she asked.

Hawkeye laughed and fired an arrow at an approaching Outrider. "It's been five years and that's the first thing you have to say to me? No 'hey Clint, great to see you?' No 'Hawkeye, I missed you?'"

"It's been about five minutes for me," the Scarlet Witch responded as she used her mutant powers to hurl the body of the Outrider Hawkeye had just killed at its allies. "A sappy greeting is the last thing I need."

Hawkeye glanced at her, expression suddenly sorry and sorrowful. "Wanda… I'm sorry about Vision."

She forced herself to smile. "It's been five years, right? I need to get over it. Seriously, what's with the hair?"

Hawkeye grinned and ran his hand through the longer part of his hair, fingers barely brushing the shaved sides. "Again, five years. Shit happens. I'm so shaving it before I go home though. Laura is going to kill me if she sees this."

The Scarlet Witch laughed lightly. "Is she well?"

"No idea," Hawkeye told her. "Haven't seen her in five years. Though I guess it hasn't been that long for her."

The Scarlet Witch smiled at him, genuinely happy for him. "I'm glad you found your love again."

Hawkeye didn't smile back. "I had to sacrifice another to get it back though. As much as I hate to say it, there were a few moments where I really questioned if it was worth it."

The Scarlet Witch shot him a questioning glance. What could be more valuable to Hawkeye than his wife and children?

Hawkeye seemed to be forcing himself to brighten though. "Hey, you should tag along with me when I go home. You shouldn't be alone right now and I don't know if I'll be able to keep my shit together on the plane ride."

The Scarlet Witch laughed, laugh more real this time. "I might just take you up on that. Let's focus on making it out of this battle alive first."

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure I ended up passing the Infinity Gauntlet to a fifteen year old," Hawkeye said humorously. "If we all get snapped away again, my bad."

The Scarlet Witch smiled at him and twisted her fingers, summoning her red hex powers to blast another wave of foes. Hawkeye moved so the two were standing back to back and began firing arrows on the six, leveling the battlefield a bit more, and the Scarlet Witch felt a sense of familiarity, her mind slipping into peaceful routine for the first time since the Vision's death.


	6. Dying Flame

**Peter Quill/ Star Lord and Gamora**

"Gamora!" Quill shouted, stumbling awkwardly as he ran across the barren earth. The Battle of the Earth had just concluded and there were piles of dust scattered about, the wind beginning to blow the remains of Thanos's fleet away.

Part of him, his childish part, wanted to stop and stare at it. Afterall, not long ago he had been gone just like these creatures. Another part of him, the more mature part that rarely surfaced, was just focused on the woman standing a few feet away. One thought struck his mind repeatedly: How was Gamora here?

Five years had been less than a blink of an eye for Quill. He could still feel the pain of his lover's death echoing in his chest. It was that pain that had lead to him hitting Thanos and causing the destruction of half the universe, including his own end. This battle was a distant yet direct result of that pain. It was real, so real. Quill put a hand on his chest as if he could grab it. That pain was proof that Gamora had died.

But the pain between his legs was proof that she was real and she was back. Quill still hadn't fully wrapped his head around the fact that she had kicked him when they met on the battlefield but he didn't care about that right now. What was important that she was here.

"Gamora!" Quill called again, still stumbling from the pain in his crotch.

This time, Gamora turned away from Nebula at the sound of her name. "Oh. It's you again."

"What do you mean it's me again?" Quill said defensively in his usual comical tone. "Of course it's me!"

Gamora sighed and looked to her sister as if she was silently asking a question. Nebula vaguely gestured to the other Guardians. Drax was standing in a pile of the dust remains of Thanos's army, screaming in victory. Rocket was having a teary reunion with Groot. Mantis was using her powers to help some of the wounded.

"Right," Gamora said and turned to Quill. She smiled at him. A very, very fake smile but a smile nonetheless. "Hi."

"Hi," Quill breathed. He went quiet for a moment and stared at her, soaking in every detail of her beautiful form as if he was seeing it for the first time. "I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything," Gamora said. Quill took a step forward to embrace her but Gamora put a hand on his chest and pushed him away. He stared at her in confusion. She merely rose an eyebrow. "Summon your ship. We need to leave this backwater planet somehow."

It took a few seconds for the words to process in Quill's mind. He began fumbling for the remote to the Millano. "Right. Right…"

Quill pulled out the remote and hit the button. The glass lit up, signaling that the ship was on its way. The trio stood in silence for a moment before Nebula cleared her throat and walked away without a word, leaving Quill and Gamora alone.

"So…" Quill started awkwardly, "how are things?"

"Fine."

"How are you alive?" Quill blurted out, unable to keep the question in anymore.

"I'm not," Gamora responded. "I still died five years ago."

"What?"

"Time travel," Gamora said, waving her arm at the battlefield. "How else would Thanos have come here?"

"I don't know. We didn't kill him back then. Did someone kill him after we all disappeared?"

"Supposedly," Gamora said. "These… Avengers came back to the Earth year 2014 to collect the Infinity Stones and restore the lives that were lost. When they did so, Thanos tapped into Nebula's memories and saw his death. That Asgardian beheaded him."

"Ah," Quill said. He paused for a moment. "2014? So you don't remember me?"

"No," Gamora stated emotionlessly.

"So… us…"

"There is no us," Gamors told him, turning to look him in the eyes. Quill felt that pain that still lingered in his chest suddenly melt into a ocean of raw emotion. He swallowed, feeling something well up in his throat as his eyes watered slightly.

"What?" he rasped.

"Nine years ago, would you just jump into a serious relationship with me? Someone you didn't know? A complete stranger who you had only seen in battle?" Gamora questioned.

Quill remained frozen, thoughts whirling, before shrugging. "I don't know… I guess. But we can get back what we- I- lost… Can't we?"

"You know exactly what you want," Gamora told him. "I don't. If you don't find it-"

"I don't care. I mean, I do. I want to have what we used to have but I just want you. I want Gamora more than our relationship," Quill told her.

Above, the roar of engines could be heard and Quill cursed himself for summoning his ship when he had. Gamora began walking towards it. When it landed, she reached up and pulled open the door, walking inside. She paused on the ramp, glancing back at Quill. "This ship, it was your Gamora's home and it is the only place I can go now. We will spend a lot of time together. Hope isn't lost."

She turned back and began walking inside. Quill stared after her before wiping his eyes and following her inside. "Right. Anything can happen."

* * *

**Author's Note:** I feel like this one was the worst one I wrote.

Quill: I don't know what to say.

Me: I don't know what to write.

This reunion did happen in Endgame. If you don't remember, Gamora kicked Quill in the crotch and asked Nebula why she chose this one. Nebula responded by saying it was between him or a tree.


	7. Father and Son

**Rocket Racoon and Groot**

One moment he was trying to convince himself not to get hopeful in case the second snap didn't work. The next moment everything was everywhere in an explosion of chaos. Then everything went dark.

Rocket woke to a crushing feeling on his back. "I can't breathe. I can't breathe! I can't breathe!"

Rocket felt something damp in the air and glanced around, seeing Bruec's massive Hulk form struggling to keep the roof from collapsing into the flooded crevice where he, Rocket, and War Machine were.

"Canopy! Canopy! Canopy!" War Machine said frantically and his suit slid open, allowing the paralyzed man to slide out of his suit. Rhondey began army crawling on his elbows towards Rocket, legs dragging uselessly behind him.

"Rhodey, Rocket, get out of here!" Bruce called. The moan of metal filled the small cavern.

"Hurry up!" Rocket encouraged, hating the feelings he felt at the moment. He felt so… weak. Trapped lying on his stomach, Rocket couldn't see what was on his back but Rhondey quickly started clearing the debris pinning him down. Rocket felt the weight lighten slightly and began breathing a bit more clearly. Rhodey wrapped his hands around Rocket's furry body and began easing him out with a gentleness only Rhodey had.

"Thanks, Rhodes," Rocket said once he was free. He patted Rhodey on the head, earning an assumed smile.

Bruce's knees began to buckle and the groans of the metal he was holding got louder. "Move! You need to get out of here. I can't hold this up for much-"

The mass of debris that the Bruce was holding up suddenly fell and a wave of water came roaring down on them, knocking Bruce from the dry patch where he had found his footing.

"Shit!" Rocket grabbed Rhodey by the back of his shirt and began tugging on him. His smaller frame unable to drag the greater weight, Rocket just ended up slipping in the puddle and eyeing the oncoming wave of water. His sharp eyes flickered over the cavern and spotted a particularly large piece of debris with enough dents to have something for Rhodey to hold onto. He grabbed the man's shirt again and began tugging. "Hurry it up! We're going to drown in about two seconds!"

Rocket scampered ahead, scaling the wall to grip the spot he wanted to lead Rhodey. Rhodey dragged his limp body over to the bottom of the hunk of metal. He reached a hand up, using his other to lift as much of his body off the ground as he could. Rocket clasped his hand and pulled as hard as he could, straining every muscle in his tiny body. Eventually, Rhodey's hand met a scrap of metal protruding from the giant debris and pulled his other hand up to get a firmer grip.

Not a second later, the wave of water came washing in, hitting Rhodey and Rocket like a speeding train. Rocket was knocked from his perch and would have been swept away if Rhodey hadn't grabbed him by the tail. A searing pain shot up from his rear and his head went underwater for a few seconds but Rocket understood the situation was too dire to complain.

Thankfully he didn't stay in that position for long. Rhodey reeled him in and stuffed him into the grey long sleeved shirt that he always wore under his armor. Rocket coughed up a bit of water and squirmed around in Rhodey's shirt so they were back to chest.

"I could've held myself, you know," Rocket grumbled.

"Right," Rhodey responded sarcastically. Rocket didn't respond, just pressing further against the warmth of Rhodey's body to protect him from the cold rush of water coming from his other side. The water level had already reached halfway up Rhodey's chest and up to Rocket's hips. It wouldn't be long before they were fully submerged.

"Bruce!" Rocket called out as his eyes frantically searched the water around him, hoping to see a bit of green. "Bruce!"

"He's probably underwater or swept into another cavern," Rhodey told him grimly. "We're on our own."

"Great. Well, nice knowing you."

Rhodey ignored him and tapped into comms. "Mayday, mayday. Anyone copy?"

Rocket craned his neck up so his head was next to the comm in Rhodey's ear. He heard nothing but static.

"We're in the lower level," Rhodey went on despite hearing nothing. "It's flooding!"

"Save your oxygen," Rocket snapped, scrambling up Rhodey's body a bit more as the water level neared his mouth. "We're going to die here."

Rhodey let his free arm drop from the comm and wrap around himself and Rocket. "At least we saved half the universe before going out, right?"

"We don't know what the hell made the tower blow up," Rocket snapped. "For all we know, that could've just been failure feedback from using the stones."

"Have a little faith."

"Faith doesn't keep people alive," Rocket responded. He pushed himself farther up Rhodey's body. Rhodey winced as the alien's tiny claws dug into his skin but said nothing.

"You seem real invested in this," Rhodey told him. "Nebula tells me your old team meant a lot to you."

"Shut it," Rocket said. "I don't want to spend my last moments getting yacked at about the importance of feelings and friendship and how sunshine makes the world go 'round."

Despite his words, Rocket couldn't help but think about his teammates, the Guardians. Like he told Thor on their trip to get Stormbreaker, he had a lot to lose and now he had a lot that he wanted to get back. And now he was going to die before ever seeing it.

He wanted to hear Quill's stupid singing. He wanted to see Gamora pathetically attempting to lie about her feelings about Quill. He wanted to watch Mantis trying to calm Drax after a tactical retreat when he wanted to go back to fight. But most of all, he wanted to just hold Groot one last time.

"I don't want to die," Rocket whispered so quietly that Rhodey couldn't hear it over the roar of water or the blood thundering in their ears.

Then, everything went quiet. Everything seemed to slow around Rocket and the water just became background noise. The incredible spike of adrenaline that he had died and Rocket slipped into the moment. The flow of water against his fur, the warmth of Rhodey against him, the feeling of Rhodey's heart beating steadily against his back, his own heart beating calmly in unison…

"I think I might be ready to die," Rocket announced quietly but loud enough for Rhodey to hear. He twisted his head around and looked up at Rhodey with shining eyes.

Rhoney smiled down at him. "See you on the other side, man."

Suddenly, the steady flow of water was disrupted and light pierced the darkness. Rocket was blinded for a moment then saw a giant silhouette in front of the sky. Rocket gave a wild grin and gave a howl-like cheer.

"Scott!" Rhodey called. Giant-Man peered down at them and smiled, pulling them out of the water. A moment later, his two hands met and he shoveled Rocket and Rhodey next to Bruce and Rhodey's armor.

"You're alright!" Bruce exclaimed as Rocket began helping Rhodey into his armor.

"You better be better than alright 'cuz we've got a long fight ahead of us," Giant-Man said.

"What?" Rocket questioned. Giant-Man said nothing and began walking towards the dirt and debris filled plateau. In the distance, Rocket could see Thanos's troops and the big purple man himself. "Thanos? How the hell did he get here?"

"No freaking idea," Giant-Man answered. "I think-"

He was cut off by sling portals suddenly opening behind them. Hundreds of Wakandans and sorcerers flooded out on the ground and pegasus mounted Asgardians and Ravager ships flew from the portals in the air. Rocket wasn't watching any of that. His eyes zeroed in on the small, tree-like frame stumbling out of one of the portals alongside the other Guardians.

"Groot!" Rocket practically screamed but the boy didn't hear him. His features were hardened with focus as he glared at his soon to be opponents.

"I'll make sure to drop you somewhere near him when the fighting starts," Giant-Man promised.

"I can fly myself!" Rocket snapped. Giant-Man held up a hand defensively.

Rhodey's armor finished reattaching itself to his body. "I'm ready to rumble."

"Oh I'm going to do something more than rumble," Rocket vowed, eyes narrowing as he glared down Thanos.

There was a rush of wind and something flew through the air. Lightning crackled and the hammer Mjoilnir flew into an outstretched hand. Captain America stepped in front of the line of heroes. "Avengers assemble!"

"How is Cap holding Mjoilnir?" Bruce questioned.

"Not the time for that!" Giant-Man said and picked up Bruce, chucking him towards the enemy. He tossed War Machine and Rocket up in the air, trusting their jets to get them where they wanted to be.

Rocket pulled out a machine gun-like energy blaster and began plowing down Outriders on the ground below.

Eventually, Rocket found his target and he tucked away his weapon. Cutting the energy from his jets, he dropped like a rock to the ground and began running on foot. He stumbled a bit in his haste but he didn't care. He had somewhere to be. "Groot!"

"I am Groot?" Groot turned, looking confused. His eyes fell on Rocket and his face lit up. "I am Groot!"

Rocket's eyes began to water but he made no effort to wipe them. "I know, I know."

Rocket threw himself into the little tree's arms and pulled him into a hug. Groot smiled and returned it. "I am Groot."

"I missed you so much, Groot," Rocket said, the tears finally leaking from his eyes and dripping down his face onto Groot's shoulder.

Groot didn't seem to notice. He gripped him tighter. "I am Groot. I am Groot."

"Promise me you'll never leave me again," Rocket said, pulling away from the boy for a moment. His hands remained on wooden arms but the two were face to face. Bright amber eyes met deep black ones. For a moment, all Rocket could see was the little baby he had grown up from a twig. "Groot… Please…"

"I am Groot," Groot promised.

Rocket smiled. "Alright. Now make your dad proud and wreck some Outriders!"

"I am Groot!" Groot cheered. Wood extended from his arms and he happily began smashing the grotesque creatures coming at them.

* * *

**Author's Note:** For those of you who don't know, Father and Son is the name of one of the songs played in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Also, the writers do write out Groot's dialog so that the voice actor can put the proper emotion into the "I am Groot"s. When Groot was snapped away, he called Rocket dad.

I know this was more Rhodey and Rocket than Rocket and Groot but that's just how it turned out.

Sorry for the late update. It's been 25 days since the last one. I really have no excuse. I wrote this in like two hours.

I found the transcript for Endgame. Hopefully that'll help writing a whole lot easier. If you can't find it and you want the Endgame transcript for your own stories, let me know and I can PM it to you.


	8. The Only Family

**Guardians of the Galaxy (Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Peter Quill/ Star Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Mantis), Nebula, and Kraglin Obfonteri**

If he was not getting over the fact that he had just been reunited with Gamora, Quill would be freaking about about how awesome the aftermath of the Battle of the Earth was. His inner child was screaming for him to react to a childhood fantasy come to life. There were spaceships, warrior women riding magic flying horses, men in flying robot suits, magic people throwing around portals, African men and women with ridiculously high-tech weapons… Was that a duck? It looked familiar...

Quill shook himself, pulling himself back to reality. The field they stood on had clearly once been something but now it was a barren wasteland dotted with the bodies of his fallen allies and the dust remains of his enemies. When he summoned his ship, the engines had blown around some of the black piles of ash. Quill had screamed in disgust but a disapproving look from Gamora had shut him up.

Now, the pair stood beside Quill's ship, their home, waiting for their friends to join them. Quill smiled when he saw Rocket and Groot approaching, hand in hand, Rocket with tears in his eyes. According to Nebula, she and Rocket had been the only survivor from the space side of the people involved and Rocket hadn't taken it well. Quill's heart was warmed. Rocket was never affectionate and very one to show emotion. He was happy that they mattered so much to him.

Speaking of the blue skinned robot, she was making her way back over with Kraglin at her side. Quill smiled at the sight of him and offered him a friendly wave. "Didn't think you'd show."

"Anything for you, captain," Kraglin said, giving him a toothy grin back. He turned his head sideways, showing off the silver Yaka Arrow Controller now planted on his head. "Tell me, do I look as good in this as your old man?"

Quill clapped a hand on his shoulder. "No one ever wore it better. I like the silver. Much better than the red. It always clashed with Yondu's skin tone."

"God, you sound like a woman," Nebula muttered, walking past him.

"Glad to see you too," Quill said, no sarcasm in his voice despite the obvious passive aggression. He looked back to Kraglin. "How are the Ravagers doing?"

"Still thieving," Kraglin responded. "Not as fun after the Decimation and all. Your girl's pops really screwed up the universe. The intergalactic jumps have been pretty much shut down for years. Only about half of them are still up."

"Earth made many changes to accommodate for the loss of manpower," Nebula spoke up, voice still as sullen as usual. "Perhaps other planets would make the same choices."

Rocket stopped walking at her feet and rose an eyebrow. "Damn, Nebula. You going soft on us."

Nebula jerked slightly in an aggressive movement. "Of course not. I'm just saying new times call for change."

"So you two spent all this time on Earth, right?" Quill asked.

"No, not really."

"The space end of the Avengers' reaches."

"Whatever. So who the heck are all these people?" Quill said loudly, gesturing to all the people standing about. Quill had been a commander himself and he knew who the other commanders in this battle were but he didn't even know their names.

"That over there in the blue pajamas is Captain America," Rocket said. "He's in charge of the Avengers. You know, the Earthlings with all the crazy powers. There are a lot of them, you don't need to know their names."

"That is the Black Panther, king of Wakanda," Nebula said. "He commands the ones with the vibranium weapons."

"You know the loser in the cape, right? Doctor Strange? He's the Sorcerer Supreme or whatever. All the little magic guys listen to him."

"The woman Valkyrie is a comrade of your friend Thor. She leads the Asguardians, Thor's people."

"And then there's you two losers," Rocket said with a grin, gesturing at Quill and Kraglin. "Bosses of the space thieves and the space sometimes-thieves."

"That didn't answer my question," Quill said.

"Hey, you asked who these people were, I told ya."

"Who's that giant guy?"

"Him? He's not really important."

"What do you mean he's not important? He's like sixty feet tall."

"I believe they call him Ant-man," Nebula interrupted.

"That's a worse name than Taserface," Kraglin mumbled.

"There's also a Spiderman. And an Ironman," Rocket listed. "These Earthlings can get really creative with their names. Note the sarcasm."

"Yeah, I noticed," Quill muttered. "Not having us around has had a bad influence on you, trash panda."

"Hey!"

"It's like no one ever left," Nebula grumbled and grabbed Gamora by the shoulder. "Help me find the green brute and the girl with the weird eyes so we can leave."

In the background, victorious battle cries were heard followed by a loud thud. Everyone turned to see Mantis standing over a sleeping Drax. She smiled. "He was being too loud."

"Alright, everyone, load him up and let's blow this joint!" Quill said, twirling a finger in the air. Gamora and Kraglin each took an arm while Nebula and Quill each grabbed a leg and the four tossed Drax onto the ship and boarded the ship that had long since become their home.

Rocket, Groot, and Mantis followed them up, Mantis smiling as she patted Rocket and Groot's heads. She smiled and Rocket shot her an annoyed look but didn't pull away. Inwardly, he smiled. Nebula caught his eye and he flushed in embarrassment. She gave him a rare smile. After a moment, Rocket returned it. They had gotten back what they had fought so hard to save.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Humor and some fluff. Pretty much what Guardians of the Galaxy is.

I wrote an Endgame oneshot. It was a request and isn't my usual writing style but I encourage you to check it out. It's called Sister Light and Brother Dark. I only got reviews from the requester so I don't know how it is but hope you enjoy. Took me like a month and a half to write it.


	9. The Sorcerer and the Supreme

**Wong and Doctor Stephan Strange**

Wong was sitting in the Sanctum Sanctorum using his mystical powers to check on the universe when he felt a surge of energy. Within a minute, a sling portal opened up right in front of him and a cloaked man stepped out.

"Stephan," Wong breathed.

"Hey there," Strange greeted casually, as if the Sorcerer Supreme hadn't been missing for the last five years. For a moment, Wong was awed. The next, anger boiled up in his stomach.

If he were a less collected man, he would have slapped him across the face. He kind of deserved it. But he didn't. Instead, he merely got up and stood before his old friend. "What in the world were you doing?"

"Waiting," Strange answered simply. "Now come on. Don't ask where because I'm still working on that."

"I will follow you anywhere, sorcerer."

"Woah. Dial it back a bit, Beyonce," Strange said, glancing over his shoulder at him. He turned and began to whisk his hands through the air, forming a sling portal. "Pick a number one to five."

"Five."

"Okay… Wait. I meant one to four. No, actually, there are five. I was right. Come on, let's go get our allies."

"Allies?"

Strange opened up a portal and stepped through it. Wong followed close behind. The two ended up in a wooden cabin. Wong could smell the scent of the woods around them.

A three foot tall child in an Iron Man mask appeared in front of them.

Wong turned to Strange. "I do not know what battle we are fighting but this better not be our back up."

"Hey Morgan," Strange greeted. "Go get your mom, will you? Tell her we're rallying the troops."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Short, I know, but I kind of lost motivation to write this story. Originally I planned for 15 chapters but I'm cutting it down to 10. The next one will be the last one probably.

Got a couple of new stories. Since the last update, I started a Warriors story, a DC Legends of Tomorrow story, and a Pokemon story and I finished my CW Flash story. Check them out my visiting my profile if you're interested.


	10. United We Stand

**T'Challa/ Black Panther and M'Baku/ Man-Ape + Others**

T'Challa didn't know why he was so disoriented. One minute he was fighting and the next his body was turning to dust. Now, he was standing on the battlefield perfectly fine.

Or what had been the battlefield. The creatures that had attacked Wakanda were gone as were the craters in the ground left from the fight. Not to mention his allies were gone too.

Okoye stood beside him, spear poised to attack. Nearby, the White Wolf, the Scarlet Witch, and the Falcon ran to his side. Bucky looked at him questioningly. "What the heck just happened?"

"Everyone is gone," Okoye muttered.

"Not everyone," Falcon said, gesturing to the other Wakandans and border tribe members standing around them, looking as confused as they did.

"Fly to Wakanda, Sam," T'Challa ordered. "Make sure the city is alright."

* * *

The group began making their way toward the city but they were intercepted by a large, armed patrol before they could reach the border of the city. The group tensed for a fight but T'Challa rose a clawed hand to stop them when he spotted a tall figure among them. "M'Baku?"

"T'Challa," M'Baku murmured. "I cannot believe it."

The Panther grinned. "Believe it, my friend. What happened?"

"You're not going to believe this," Falcon said, "but five years have passed."

T'Challa's grin slid off his face.

"Five years?" Bucky asked. "What… Five years happened just like that?"

"Yup," Falcon said.

"Thanos did what he said he would," M'Baku reported. "He wiped out half the population. Including you."

T'Challa blinked. Five years. He was the king. How had his country fared during this crisis without his leadership?

M'Baku seemed to read his thoughts. "Wakanda did not handle this well. No where did. The world's countries cling to each other now. We… had support. Wakanda has moved on but she will be more than happy to have her king back."

T'Challa offered a weak smile. "I'm glad."

M'Baku opened his mouth to continue but an orange ring suddenly appeared beside them. A portal opened up and a cloaked man stepped through.

"Hey there," the man greeted. "I'm Strange and I'm rallying the troops. Any chance that you guys want to give Thanos some payback?"

* * *

It turned out that M'Baku was keeping Wakanda together while T'Challa was gone. The armies had combined and were more than surprised to see the Black Panther walk in but they followed him, Shuri, Okoye, and M'Baku into the sling portals without question. Soon, the Wakandans plus the Falcon, the White Wolf, and the Scarlet Witch were walking onto a leveled field. Around them, more sling portals opened up and hundreds of people that T'Challa had never seen before were standing alongside him.

Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man stood on the forefront. Captain America glanced over his shoulder, face softening at the sight of his revived allies, before grinning.

"Is that everyone?" Doctor Strange asked, landing beside the Black Panther. T'Challa felt a sudden sense of unity.

"What, you wanted more?" Strange's friend Wong asked. Strange chuckled.

"Avengers!" Captain America called at the top of his voice. He rose a hand and Thor's hammer Mjolnir suddenly flew into his open hand. He clasped his fingers around the handle and stared into the distance where Thanos's troops were gathered. "... Assemble."

The Black Panther gave a loud battlecry and rushed into the fight, M'Baku and Okoye on either side of him, proud to be fighting beside so many heroes on this day.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This chapter is actually the plans for three chapters combined. A good finale I think.

This is the last chapter but if anyone has any requests, I will write them even though the story is marked as complete. Hope you all enjoyed.


	11. The Long Awaited Dance

**Author's Note:** Hey there guys! Yes, I know this story was marked complete and it's now been around 7 months since it was last update but I got a request for a new chapter about two weeks ago so I thought what the heck, why don't I pick this up again. The story originally had 15 planned chapters but I got tired of this story so I condensed like 3 of the into chapter 10. I dug up some of my old plans so hopefully we'll get to 15. If you have any requests, let me know.

The request was by my pal SavvySpirit asking for Captain America to get a reunion. The original plans had Cap go back in time and dance with Peggy Carter. The night I'm writing this AN, I watched the First Avenger for the first time (it's one of the like 3 MCU movies I missed) and I found out the dance was an actual thing. The more you know.

My writing style's changed since the last time I updated this story. It's noticeable but this is a casual story, not a serious one, so I don't really care about consistency. I wanted to have fun with the perspective and syntax. Here we go. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

He didn't know what time it was.

He didn't know what _year_ it was.

He didn't know where he was or if he could get home and that was terrifying. He could hear his blood roaring in his ears so loud he forgot to breathe. His vision tunneled as he stumbled through halls he was barely aware of. His mind was blank save for vague inklings that told him exactly what he just left behind mere moments ago and that was enough to send spikes of cold, paralyzing anxiety down his spine. He was panicking and he knew it. He tried to stay calm as he stepped through the last door frame but he was spiraling and there was nothing he could do about it.

Then he saw her and all of his fear melted away.

Unwelcome thoughts trickled through his head, stemming from the back of his mind. What if he really was in the wrong year? What if he was too late? Or worse, what if he was too early and she didn't recognize him? He didn't know if he could take a slap to the face right now.

But these were all background thoughts. His mind fell silent and his world became her.

She looked exactly as he remembered. That flawless skin, that beautifully curled hair, those deep eyes… It was her eyes that captivated him. His mother once told him eyes were the windows to a woman's soul and he had to say her soul was something gorgeous. Of course, everything about her was stunning but her eyes…

They were dark like nothing he'd ever seen but it lacked the aesthetic of, say, the night or shadow. No, these were dark like a vial of ink. Ink, he thought, was probably the only comparison that did her eyes justice. They had depths he couldn't quite see yet it didn't matter because they held so much potential. If her soul was a canvas, ink was the medium that showed its beauty.

His eyes were like ice, broken and layered, but they held warmth that only seemed to match hers. The world collapsed around him as icy blue met inky black and a wave of tranquility washed over him as he fell into her gaze.

Emotion soared in his chest and it was like he was falling in love all over again. It would be cliche to say that he fell for her the moment they met. He loved cliches but to say that this was the case would be a lie and he was no liar. No, his feelings had built up over time and he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he knew he loved her but this certainly felt like that cliche he envisioned for himself as a child.

Entranced, he began walking toward her.

Shock was written clean across her face. His would be too if he was in her shoes. He was surprised she showed up at all but he was glad. It was clear she was too. She barely moved as he took her hand and slowly intertwined their fingers. He was so breathless he couldn't even smile. Faces still, they fell into a dance.

In together, in, step…

Out together, out, step…

One, two, three, four…

He knew this dance. Natasha taught him when- No, he couldn't think about the Avengers now. He couldn't think about everyone he'd left behind. He'd waited over seventy five years for this dance and he wasn't about to taint the moment with sorrow.

Spin, turn, hold…

Hands together, press, and sway…

This wasn't part of the dance but she made the move and he could improvise. He stood behind her, arms wrapped around her gently as they swayd with the silent music. Or maybe it wasn't silent. He couldn't tell. His ears were ringing like a thousand tiny, silver bells were following him. The world was invisible to him. His eyes and ears were all on her.

And break…

In together, in, step…

Out together, out, step…

One, two, three, four…

They slipped apart and their hands rejoined, resuming the dance. Slowly, the music began to trickle back. It was a slow song, like the two of them said they wanted back when the plane- No, don't think about that. Tonight was about her.

In, step…

Out, step…

Spin…

He was wearing gloves and most of her skin was covered but just touching her felt like heaven. He couldn't believe he was here. With her, he meant. He'd time traveled before. He just never thought he'd see her again.

In together, in, step…

Out together, out, step…

One, two, three, four…

And now, he would never have to leave again.

In, step…

Out, step…

Spin…

And he was happy with that.

Spin, turn, hold…

Hands together, press, and sway…

A smile tugged at the corners of his face and Steven Rogers let himself get lost in the dance and Peggy Carter.


End file.
